Hayes, recovering from COVID-19, ready for debate
DANBURY — The first debate in the race for Connecticut’s most competitive congressional district was on schedule for Monday night via a videoconferencing platform as U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes completed her final days of quarantine with the coronavirus.
“This will be an opportunity to show the contrast between our positions, so the people can have all the information before they cast their vote,” said Hayes, a one-term Democrat, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 20, and has been quarantining at home.
GOP challenger David X. Sullivan from New Fairfield said he had hoped to share the debate stage with Hayes at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury as originally planned before the congresswoman tested positive, but he was looking forward to the virtual debate.
“I wish her well,” Sullivan said of Hayes’ recovery. “I am very excited at this first opportunity to have an exchange with Jahana, and make our case and share our vision for this district.”
Hayes during her twoweek quarantine has been voting in congress by proxy, attending committee meetings in Washington, D.C. remotely, working on constituent service with her staff in Waterbury, and sponsoring legislation from her home in Wolcott.
Hayes plans to get retested for COVID-19 on Monday to confirm she no longer has the virus before she resumes her public schedule.
“As a leader it would be irresponsible to resume public activity without knowing,” Hayes said on Friday, adding that she would reschedule Monday’s debate should her symptoms flare up. “My health is my first priority.”
Preparation for the remote congressional debate comes as the nation watches President Donald Trump deal with his own 14-day quarantine, after tweeting early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus.
Sullivan, a retired federal prosecutor, said the coronavirus crisis has made it challenging to meet with groups of voters, but he is pleased with the momentum of his campaign, picking up endorsements from leading Republicans including Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton.
“People are excited about the campaign and concerned about the direction of the district and the state,” Sullivan said on Friday. “People are engaged in the campaign, and we are very fortunate to have their support.”
Sullivan, who trails Hayes in fundraising by $1 million and is considered the underdog by leading election forecasters, hopes to bridge the gap in four debates with Hayes in October.
Monday’s debate, which includes a challenger from Newtown running an unfunded campaign on the Independent Party line, signals the start of prime time for the Nov. 3 election in the 5th District, which has more voters registered as unaffiliated at 183,000 than Democrats with 141,000 or Republicans with 103,000.
“I’ve put up 50 lawn signs from Danbury to Canaan, and I’ve sent press releases and letters to most of the newspapers in the district,” said Bruce Walczak, who is trying to shake up the twoparty political system. “I think I am making some progress.”
Monday’s 7 p.m. debate, moderated by the League of Women Voters chapters of Northern Fairfield and Litchfield counties, will be engineered by media arts students at Western Connecticut State University.